A Support of Women

Earlier this week I looked up the collective noun for a group of women and was really disappointed to see it is a "gaggle of women" that cannot be right surely? After thinking about it for a while I thought it should really be a "support of women" because over the last 2 years I have really seen just how empowering it can be when we work together as a sisterhood. (PS this is in no way a men bashing post, I think men are great as well, but today I want to talk about how the sisterhood has helped to raise me up).

She who dares wins

Something has been shifting in me lately. I have always been quite a fearful person, I worry about everything (honestly my head is an exhausting place to be sometimes) and I knew that I had a new anxiety brewing... whispers "the change". Yep I had hit peri-menopause and symptoms were starting. My thoughts were along the lines of; "this is going to be a nightmare", "I'm totally dreading this" and "well I guess that's it then". But I also kept feeling like I could hear a whisper of my mum who used to say "I'm not ready to sit in the corner with my knitting". My mum wasn't given the privilege of ageing, she passed away very suddenly when she was just sixty but she was somebody who despite struggling with very poor health, lived, and loved, her life. Another thing she would say is "she who dares wins" (yes she loved DelBoy) and I just started to feel like it's time for me to start daring.

This isn't the end

So I decided to get learning. If you know me you'll know that I start a lot of sentences with "Sally from Women With Sparkle says" (Sally is a Women's Nutritionist and Coach - and basically a total goddess... you can find out more about Sally here.... https://www.womenwithsparkle.com) and so I signed up for her Sparkle School and it has totally shifted my thoughts and got me to step out of comfort zone. What I know now is that this isn't the end, it's the time for women to really shine.

I wanted to feel fearless for once

Remember me saying I was always a fearful person. Well I have an extreme fear of heights, I struggle with escalators and I have lost track of all the places that I have had to be rescued

from. Well a few weeks ago, my son wanted to try Go Ape and I knew he would need some support and this would have always been an absolute no brainer for me - no way would you get me in a harness and up in the trees. I sat with the feeling for a while and what I realised was that I wanted to try, not just for him but for me too. I wanted to feel fearless for once.

Off we went. I made it up,. I did the first section and then panicked and came down. But. I. DID. IT and do you know what - it felt great.

Don't say no things, keep putting yourself out there

Not long after that, I was presented with the opportunity to face another fear. My local bookshop called me and asked if I would like to interview Heather Morris (author of The Tattooist of Auschwitz) at their shop. Again I was torn. I really wanted to do it but public speaking has always terrified me. I have been to so many events where I've been desperate to ask a question at the end but haven't been able to raise my hand. Now I know I do this on Instagram, but that's different - I'm in my home, with my family around, Roddy's at my feet and it doesn't feel real. Anyway I knew I had to say yes so I did it, I wasn't perfect (but that's not even a thing) and I enjoyed it. At the end Heather gave me a big hug and said don't say no to things, keep putting yourself out there.

What was driving me to try these new things? Other than the change I've been feeling in myself I have to say that it is down to the women supporting and encouraging me. Lots of friends and family all telling me to believe in myself and it is so empowering.

If it takes a village to raise a child; it takes a "support of women" to raise a woman

I think basically what I'm trying to say in a very long winded way is if it takes a village to raise a child; it takes a "support of women" to raise a woman. Surround yourself with women who believe in you and will see something magical.